Weekly Letter from the Pastor

October is indeed flying by. And since Halloween will quickly be upon us, that means that Thanksgiving is almost here, and then of course is Christmas. Okay, I sped things up just a bit so I could talk about Advent and Christmas. It is never too early to be proactive.

One of the things I have noticed about our property over the past two years is that while we sit on a great piece of land with a main thoroughfare passing our way, we don’t have much frontage. Depending on which way you drive on Bethany Road you could easily miss us. Our sign, though very nice is (by zoning ordinance) small, therefore not demanding much attention. Last year, after the Christmas Season ended I commented that I would like to see the parish place a nice Nativity Scene on the front of the property. We need to remind the community of what it is that we are celebrating and that, indeed, we are a church. The Knights of Columbus made that comment a reality by wonderfully pledging enough money for us to purchase the central pieces of the Nativity scene (Mary, Joseph, Infant Jesus, and the Angel) and the maintenance crew will construct the crèche. There are, however, some additional pieces that we would like to have to complete the set.

One parishioner, who became privy to the office conversation has purchased a cow for the set as well. We would still like to have a shepherd and some sheep, and then, of course, the Three Magi. The pieces are not expensive. If you are interested in any of the above please make contact with Margaret in the parish office, and she will guide you through the process.

While there are many exciting and important events planned for November and for the Advent Season here, there is one event that I want to get on your calendars now so that you can be aware of it. Every year Bishop O’Connell hosts a Christmas dinner for the seminarians of the diocese following the Saturday evening Mass. Traditionally this has been at Sacred Heart Church in Trenton as it serves as the House of Formation for seminarians who otherwise have no home. For example, Father JM lived there when he was on seminary breaks. Last year, the Bishop moved the Mass to St. Paul Church in Princeton, and I immediately invited them to come here this year. I am happy to announce, then, that Bishop O’Connell will celebrate Mass on Saturday December 16 at 5:00 p.m. All of the seminarians of the diocese will be present for the Mass that evening, along with the priests who are members of the vocations team (which includes Father Dan Swift and I). A brief reception will follow. We will then host the dinner for the Bishop, priests, and seminarians. This is a nice honor for us. It will be great for the parish to see all of the seminarians whom we support through our prayers, financial contributions to both the Annual Catholic Appeal and the Faith to Move Mountains initiative, and in a particular way through the adopt-a-seminarian program.

Yes, sorry, I am sure some of you aren’t thrilled that I am talking Christmas Season before Halloween, but it’s never too early to plan.